Machine for casting wheels and like articles.



APPLICATION FILED MAR 2, 1912.

Patented J an. 25, 1916.

ROBERT RADFORD, OF PHILA'QELPHIA, AND JAMES E. SHEAFFER, O F BURNHAM,PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR CASTING WHEELS AND LIKE ARTICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT RADFORD and JAMES E. SHEAFFER, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Philadelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, and Burnham, county of Mifllin,State of Pennsylvania, respectively, have invented certain Improvementsin Machines for Casting Wheels and like Articles, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide mechanism for properly pouringtwo different metal compositions into the same mold.

The invention relates particularly to the molds which are rotated,'andin which the molten metal is thrown against the inner periphery of themold by centrifugal force; the invention being particularly adapted formolding or casting car or other wheels, or Wheel blanks, in which theouter surface or periphery of the wheel, or blank, is of a metal harderthan the body of the wheel.

In the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional viewof a rotary mold illustrating our invention; Fig. 2, is an end View;Fig. 3, is a sectional view of a wheel made 'in accordance with ourinvention; and Fig. 4, is a sectional view of the mold for forming wheelblanks.

A is the rotary mold made, in the present instance, of three parts C, C,and D, detachably secured together. The parts C, C are the end plates ofthe mold and the part D is the intermediate ring or chill section of themold. The several parts are shaped according to the design of wheel, orblank, to be cast. The section 0 is, in the present instance, anintegral part of the shaft, which is adapted to bearings B, mounted on afoundation B.

a is the pulley or'gear by which the shaft is turned so as to rotate themold at sufficient speed to cause the molten metal as it enters the moldto seek the inner periphery of the mold.

In order to properly pour the molten metal, it is essential that thereshall be no time lost in thechange from one metal composition toanother, and, therefore, we have provided a pouring head I having twomouths 2' and z".

This pouring head is connected to the mold A by a coupling E which issecured to the pouring head. The coupling has a reduced portion 0 in thepresent instance, adapted to fit in a recess in the cap section C of themold. There is a throat opening from the terial and the pouring head isalso provided with a lining h of fire brick or other suitable material.The pouring head is made in two halves I, as shown in Fig. 2, and thesehalves are connected together by bolts, or other fastenings, so that bythis means in case of a stoppage the coupling head can be readilyremoved and parted and the obstruction withdrawn.

The pouring head is preferably mounted on a carirage N having wheels n-nand may be attached to the coupling E. in any manner desired. In thepresent instance, the pouring head has an extension which enters arecess in the coupling head, and the coupling head is attached to theextension by means of screws f, so that'it remains stationary While themold is rotated.

The part D of the mold A is secured to the part C by bolts c-c and thepart C is connected to the part D by detachable fastenings (Z so thatafter the casting is completed, the cap section C can be detached andthe molded wheel or blank removed therefrom.

When it is desired to open the mold, the carriage N is backed away fromthe mold with the coupling E, after which the cap C is attached to acrane and the fasteningsd removed, when the head can be swung out andthe cast wheel or blank Withdrawn.

In Fig. 3, we have shown a sectional view of a car wheel made inaccordance with our invention in which the metal of the wheel at theperiphery m consists of a manganese or equivalent alloy and the body ofthe Wheel is of soft steel. The compositions are intimately unitedduring the process of casting to make a homogeneous steel structure.

In Fig. 4:, we have shown a mold in which the end plates C and C and theintermediate ring D have plain inner surfaces and are so proportioned asto make a mold for a wheel blank. instead of a complete flanged wheel.After this blank is cast it may be rolled in the ordinary process.ofmaking steel wheels. As the blank isa composite coupling E into thecenter of the mold and will be immediately thrown out by centrifugalforce against the inner wall of the section D ofthe mold, filling themold to the required depth. The molten soft steel is immediately pouredin through the mouth z" before the entire mass of manganese alloy passesthe lower end of said mouth so that the flow of the two metals iscontinuous and the softer metal is allowed to flow until the entire moldis filled and, assoon as the mold sets sufficiently, the pouring head iswithdrawn and the cap plate of the mold detached, after which the castwheel or blank is removed from the mold and the resulting product is awheel or blank having a hard surface 00, Fig; 3, at its periphery of anydepth desired, with a comparatively soft steel center or body.

While we have illustrated a mold used in the manufacture of car wheels,it will be understood that the invention may be used in casting wheelsof other types, or any object requiring one character of metal on theperiphery and another forming the body portion.

passage being below the other and com municating with the passageleading to the mold so that molten metal in one of said passages mayimmediately follow the molten metal in the other passage.

2. The combination in a rotary machine for casting wheels and likearticles, of a shaft; bearings for the shaft; a rotary mold carried bythe shaft; means for rotating the mold; a pouring head having a passagetherein leading to the mold and having two independent mouths; a passageleading from each month to the passage communicating with the mold, onepassage being below the other; and a coupling secured to the head andhaving a passage therein communicating with the passage in the pouringhead and with the center of the mold.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribin witnesses.

R BERT RADFORD,

JAMES E. SHEAFFER.

Witnesses to the signature of Robert Radford: p

A. A. SEEVENSON,

J os. H. KLEIN. I

Witnesses to the signature of James E.

Sheafler: v I MARTz,

ORVILLE C. SKINNER.

